zzZZZoom University: A new fatigue that stunts our learning

During a Zoom call last week, I was put into a breakout room where I noticed that several of my classmates were drained and seemingly lacked motivation. Unfortunately, hundreds of thousands of other students around the country are in the same boat: tired and eager to be back in a real classroom, rather than having to sit in front of a screen all day. Ultimately, Zoom fatigue hurts learning in remote education classrooms.

According to Jena Lee, MD, psychiatrist and assistant professor at the David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Zoom fatigue is “the tiredness, worry or burnout associated with overusing virtual platforms of communication.”. As students who are now forced to learn virtually, we stare at computer screens for most of the day. In the comfort of our own home, or even sitting in bed, students are feeling more exhausted than ever after a day of virtual learning. But why?

One reason stems from more than just Zoom learning. The University of Pittsburgh Medical Center reveals that too many hours spent in front of a screen creates eye strain. The blue light causes less blinking and more eye movement, which makes it more difficult for our eyes to focus. The weariness of our eyes can lead to tiredness, headaches, blurry vision and even retinal damage.

Although our eyes are doing more movement, our bodies are not. On a Zoom call, we are restricted to the small area of view that our cameras can reach. Lisa M. Krieger, a science writer for The Mercury News, states that “we’re trapped in a chair,” which can be “physically and mentally deadening.” We may stretch or fidget with things around us, but that is no match for the movement and interaction students receive during in-person instruction.

With the reduction of body movement comes less body language to observe. Krieger points out that, with in-person meetings, we are able to “read each other’s cues” and our “conversations have rhythm.” On Zoom, however, students need to employ better listening skills and wait their turn to unmute and speak. Virtual communication requires an over exaggeration of clarity in order to get a point across. Therefore, we are exerting extra energy in order to communicate.

But virtual learning doesn’t only affect students. Jamila L. McWhirter, professor at Middle Tennessee State University, complains that not being able to teach and interact in “real-time in a physical classroom is frustrating” and “adds to our feelings of fatigue.” If our teachers feel that they aren’t teaching to their best ability, why are students expected to learn at theirs?

Some people argue that Zoom learning is easier on students because we can use notes during exams, or attend class from our beds. After all, most exams are open-note and taken on our own time. But in reality, most students are itching to get back to the normalcy of in-person instruction, where we can collaborate and learn more efficiently.

Moving forward, mental and physical breaks may be beneficial to help students survive this inevitable virtual experience. Simple solutions like a collective class stretch, or a quick dance break, could alleviate some of the Zoom fatigue that students and teachers feel throughout the day. McWhirter thinks that teachers should plan “built-in breaks” where they instruct their students to “walk, drink water, and step outside for a few moments to help combat sluggishness.”

Zoom fatigue is no joke, and rather than ‘catching some Zs’, we want to be earning As and Bs.

Jade Veit is a third-year Communications major with a minor in Media & Culture. JV908165@wcupa.edu